10 Cheap Performance Sedans That Pack Ballistic Straight-Line Performance

When you think of a fast car, something like a Ferrari, Lamborghini, or some supercar springs to mind – and for good reason. These cars are built for speed and little else – they are uncomfortable, hopelessly impractical, and expensive to maintain. However, to satisfy that craving for speed, most people would go for a supercar, used or otherwise. We posit that there are better, cheaper, and more practical cars that can fulfill your need for mind-numbing acceleration: used performance sedans.

Most sedans look dreary and boring – they don’t possess the aura of performance that oozes off sports cars. However, performance sedans have the firepower to humiliate sports cars. They are expensive – but only when new: thanks to the power of depreciation, most people can afford one. Here are 10 cheap performance sedans that pack ballistic straight-line performance.

RELATED: An Attainable Ultra Luxury Used Sports Sedan You Simply Can’t Ignore

10 2001 Mercedes-Benz S600

Starting Used Price: $8,118

The 2001 Mercedes-Benz S600 was a technological marvel. Features like web surfing, intelligent cruise control with automatic acceleration and braking, and controls responsive to voice commands were novel features in the car industry in the early 21st century. Furthermore, the S600 epitomized automotive luxury, with features like heated seats, vanity mirrors, and Nappa leather seats.

Specifications

Under the hood lay an engine that hummed so quietly you wouldn’t have guessed it was a 5.8-liter V-12. Traction control reduced wheel spin as the massive car barrelled from naught to 60 MPH in 5.4 seconds. Despite the car’s impressive stopping power, Mercedes limited the top speed to 155 MPH. Unshackled, however, the 2001 S600 could hit 190 MPH.

9 2006 Mercedes-Benz E55 AMG

Starting Used Price: $8,525

The E55 AMG was once the fastest Mercedes-Benz sedan on the planet. The vehicle’s speed wasn’t surprising, as it featured a supercharged 5.4-liter V-8 under the hood. Meticulously tuned by Affalterbach’s finest, the engine produced 475 horsepower and 520 pound-feet. With the accelerator pinned to the floor, the E55 AMG hit 60 MPH in 4.6 seconds and 100 MPH 5.8 seconds later.

Specifications

A tough five-speed automatic transmission handled the car’s rapid gear shifts as it accelerated to a limited top speed of 155 MPH. With the electronic limiter disabled and the vehicle equipped with tires capable of handling high speeds without disintegrating, it could go as fast as 188 MPH.

RELATED: The Forgotten Supercharged V-8 Full-Size Luxury Sedan That’s An Irresistible Used Car Bargain

8 2007 Audi S8

Starting Used Price: $9,900

The 2007 Audi S8 was an A8 worked on by Audi’s ‘S’ performance division. It featured a 5.2-liter V-10 engine derived from a Lamborghini Gallardo V-10, a fact Audi downplayed, insisting that the Audi’s V-10 was completely different from the Gallardo’s engine. The specs supported Audi’s claims.

Specifications

The S8’s power unit produced 62 fewer horsepower and 22 more pound-feet than the Gallardo’s engine. Audi had prioritized a broader powerband over peak power, which suited the luxury sedan. Despite its extensive aluminum construction, the S8 was still heavy, tipping the scales at 4,609 pounds. Nevertheless, the car was rapid: it completed the 60 MPH sprint in 5.3 seconds, and freed from electronic restraints, it could hit a top speed of 200 MPH.

7 2007 Alpina B7

Starting Used Price: $10,750

Unwilling to build an M-version of the 7-series, BMW handed the job to its old friend, Alpina. Alpina obliged, creating a super version of the 7-series dubbed the Alpina B7. Fitted with 21-inch, 20-spoke BBS wheels, the gorgeous 2007 Alpina B7 looked like a concept car. Tweaks to the 4.4-liter V-8 from a 745i, including adding a supercharger and components that could handle the engine’s power without snapping in half, resulted in a power output of 500 ponies and 516 pound-feet.

Specifications

At the time, the B7’s power unit was the most potent BMW engine in production. The engine’s power rendered the vehicle’s considerable curb weight moot, as it zoomed to 60 MPH in 4.8 seconds. Unlike other German manufacturers, Alpina didn’t restrain their impressive creation with electronic limiters.

RELATED: A Used Flagship Supercharged V-8 Luxury Sedan You Can Buy For The Price Of A Camry

6 2004 Volkswagen Phaeton W12

Starting Used Price: $12,250

The Volkswagen Phaeton W-12 was a costly experiment by Volkswagen that went terribly wrong. It represented Volkswagen’s attempt to carve out a piece of the luxury sedan segment. The Phaeton ticked the luxury box with features like wood and leather trim, cooled and heated massaging seats, and multi-zone climate control.

Specifications

It also had a bonkers W-12 engine that filled the engine bay and produced a respectable 420 horsepower. Volkswagen hoped that the vehicle would appeal to wealthy buyers who despised the attention that came with performance sedans from its German rivals. However, the vehicle’s low-key nature proved to be its undoing – few people showed interest in an expensive, VW-badged performance sedan.

5 2008 Bentley Continental Flying Spur

Starting Used Price: $12,274

The Volkswagen Phaeton wasn’t a complete failure, considering that it provided the mechanical underpinnings for the Bentley Continental and the Bentley Continental Flying Spur. The Flying Spur was a head-turner, not least because it had the proportions of a small island. It was a stretched Continental powered by a turbocharged variant of the W-12 in the Phaeton.

Specifications

Despite its colossal size, the Flying Spur performed better than the sporty Continental GT, a testament to the excellence of its power unit. Anyone brave enough to keep the handsome car’s accelerator pinned to the floor would hit 150 MPH in under 30 seconds and top out at 195 MPH.

4 2006 BMW M5

Starting Used Price: $16,250

On the outside, the 2006 BMW M5 didn’t look much different from the 5-series it was based on. Besides minor body enhancements, larger wheels, sculpted side mirrors, and chrome-tipped exhausts, the M5 looked similar to the 5-series. Under the hood, however, the M5 set itself apart: it featured a 5.0-liter V-10 producing 500 horsepower and 384 pound-feet.

Specifications

The V-10 merged seamlessly with a seven-speed SMG gearbox, which BMW had refined to near perfection over three generations. The vehicle’s Electronic Damping Control system allowed the driver to select between normal, comfort, and sport suspension settings. Inside, the M5 featured the build and material quality synonymous with BMW models.

RELATED: 10 Best Used Sports Cars Under $30,000

3 2005 Alpina B5

Starting Used Price: $20,000

Alpina had a monumental task ahead of them if they wanted to produce a car capable of matching or beating the V-10 M5. Starting with a 4.4-liter V-8 previously found in a 545i, the German-based company developed an engine that produced 133 pound-feet more than the impressive V-10 in the M5. The supercharged unit powered the 2005 Alpina B5 to 60 MPH in 4.6 seconds, 0.1 seconds faster than the M5.

Specifications

Limited by its aerodynamics, the B5 couldn’t go faster than 195 MPH. Still, that top speed was impressive, especially considering the B5’s weight. Further, the 2005 B5 had a classy interior featuring a leather steering wheel, high-gloss wood trim, and leather seats.

2 2014 Maserati Quattroporte GTS

Starting Used Price: $29,500

Maserati rarely disappoints when it comes to styling: the 2014 Maserati Quattroporte GTS was another of its masterpieces. However, the most impressive aspect of the vehicle was its twin-turbo 3.8-liter V-8, which churned out 523 horsepower. Engineers at Ferrari’s factory in Maranello hand-assembled each one of those engines.

Specifications

It delivered power to the rear wheels via a quick-shifting eight-speed automatic transmission. The GTS handled as well as other offerings in its segment but lacked the high-tech features present in rival cars. The Maserati triumphed in the top speed metric, with few others able to match its 190 MPH peak speed.

1 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG

Starting Used Price: $30,000

The base CLS63 featured a twin-turbocharged 5.5-liter V-8 engine producing 514 horsepower and 516 pound-feet. Anything above 500 horsepower in a road car is enough. However, AMG offered a $7,300 Performance package that increased horsepower to 550 and torque to 590 without impacting fuel economy. Purchasing the package also pushed the car’s overall cost into six figures and raised the top speed from 155 MPH to 186 MPH.

Specifications

With 550 horses galloping through a seven-speed automatic transmission to the rear wheels, the CLS63 AMG completed the 60 MPH dash in 3.8 seconds. You can get a 2012 CLS63 AMG for less than a third of its original MSRP.